Bulls back on Parade: 10 things we learned about the Texans

1. Momentum, schomentum. As I have told you all many times, momentum is like Santa Claus – IT AIN’T REAL. The Texans had lost three of four; the Bengals had won seven of eight. It didn’t matter when the game started. Texans 19, Bengals 13. The best team won. What they did against other teams a few weeks ago had nothing to do with what happened Saturday. I don’t mind you telling your children there is a Santa Claus. Harmless. But stop teaching them about this mythical momentum. You’re doing irreparable harm and creating more and more unknowledgeable sports fans.

2. J.J. Watt ought to be named King of Queen City. He absolutely loves Cincinnati. From the get-go, the first play in fact, Watt dominated up front. The soon-to-be-named NFL Defensive Player of the year did what he does, finishing with five tackles, including a couple for loss, a sack and two pass breakups. (Those are the unofficial stats at the time of this post.)

3. The Texans’ offense can score a touchdown. No, really. I’m serious. We’ve seen so few of late – three TDs in the last 51 drives led by Matt Schaub – that we were starting to wonder. After six touchdown-less possession in the first half, whoever brings in the pallets for the grass at Reliant could have just left the end zone outside the stadium. It was a waste of manpower. But Houston got a score on an Arian Foster run in the third quarter. Not nearly enough TDs scored for as many yards as they produced, but one is better than none, which is how many they had the last time they played at home.

4. When healthy, Johnathan Joseph is still a big-time cornerback. For the second year in a row, Joseph took A.J. Green man-to-man all over the field and more than held his own against the Bengals’ talented wideout. Green wasn’t even targeted in the first half. He finished with five catches for 80 yards, 45 on one play, but Joseph gets an A for his blanket coverage. Joseph had an interception and a huge fourth-quarter pass breakup in the end zone.

5. The Kareem Jackson Fan Club meetings are getting crowded. The third-year cornerback has played well all season. He was very good Saturday, with the Bengals looking to find somewhere to go as Joseph had Green locked down, Jackson wasn’t helping out, shutting down the other side of the field. He also closed with Joseph, getting there for a big hit on Green just after Joseph had pried the ball loose in the end zone. Big hits let receivers know big hits are out there.

6. While we’re passing out orchids for the secondary, let’s not forget Glover Quin. Superb. He was all over the field, making tackles in the open field and helping keep the Bengals in check. A special nod to Shiloh Keo, who doesn’t play often, but got a lot of action and was in on a couple of plays. His pass interference on third down in the final couple of minutes hurt, but he helped on a crucial tackle with 2:44 left to get the Texans the ball back.

7. As always, give Arian Foster the ball and good things happen. He was exceptional. With honorary captain Earl Campbell looking on, Foster had 32 carries for 140 yards to became the first player in NFL history to post 100-yard games in each of his first three playoff games.

8. Reliant Stadium sure would have been a nice place to play next week’s game, wouldn’t it? The record crowd of 71,738 was as loud as they have been. There was a smattering boos after the first three-and-out, as if they expected the Texans to score on every drive, but when the defense was doing work, and it did major work all day, the crowd was a factor. Home-field advantage is real.

9. Gary Kubiak, who some think is more conservative than Barry Goldwater was, continues to play it closer to the vest than you might like, but Saturday he had a couple of good reasons: the Bulls were on Parade (Cincinnati had 198 yards and was 0-for-9 on third down), and Matt Schaub, despite decent numbers (28-of-39 for 262 yards), was still somewhat shaky, especially early. Regardless, as much as I’d like to see him take a few of the calls back, it is hard to criticize play-calling in a victory.

10. The Texans have some pride. If you want to call it that. Maybe the smart thing to do would have been to lose this game to avoid the trip to play the Patriots next week. The last time they played at Gillette Stadium, I’m told Patriots traded Texans for boxes of cigarettes, a couple Texans players were lined up to braid Tom Brady’s hair and Vince Wilfork took Chris Myers’ cornbread, and there were no consequences or repercussions. (If you don’t get those references, you don’t watch enough prison movies.)

Wait, what? Green Bay and New England game? Drinking and posting is not a good idea, unless that’s your pick for the Super Bowl.
For what it’s worth, I have Denver over San Francisco in the Super Bowl.
BTW: I thought you were too old for that silly “Hobbit” stuff…

Matt Schaub in the last 23 quarters of play:
1 touchdown pass.
1 pick-six.
Arion Foster and the Bulls On Parade showed the heart of a champion today.
The Bengals have scored 6 offensive touchdowns in 6 games.
The Patriots scored 6 offensive touchdwns against the Texans on Monday night.
I don’t care how this team tries to spin this win as redemption for their poor play down the stretch, there will be no redemption this season without a berth in the AFC Championship Game.

Can’t you just feel the excitement JS? This has all the makings of an epic movie “Gomer Pyle & Barney Rubble meet the Super Models Husband & The Hoodie”, I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about it! Seriously, the D played well and Watt is the best defensive player in the league but Dalton ain’t Brady & that quick release negates JJ’s impact. It could be worse though, if Royce White was our QB he wouldn’t even make the trip! LOL